Clothes-line fastener



Y (No Model.) 7

A. H. SQUIRES.

CLOTHES LINE PASTENER. I

' Patented Oct. 20, 1885.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR H. SQUIRES, OF UNION CITY, CONNECTICUT.

CLOTHES-LINE FASTENER,

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 328,824, dated October20, 1885.

Application filed February 16, 1885. Serial No.156,059. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ARTHUR H. Sources, of Union City, in the county ofNew Haven and State of Connecticut, have invented a new Improvement inClothes-Line Tighteners and Fasteners; and I do hereby declare thefollowing, when taken in connection with accompanying drawings and theletters of reference marked thereon, to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the same, and which said drawings constitute part of thisSpecification, and represent, in

Figure 1, a side view of the device assecured in place; Fig. 2, a faceview, full size, showing both prongs; Fig. 3, the same as Fig. 1, thespindle turned half around to bring the prongs into the position to bedrawn between the fingers; Fig. 4., a section on line as x of Fig. 1;Fig. 5, a section through the fingers and prongs, showing the line inbroken lines as engaged therewith.

This inventionrelates to a device to be attached to clothes-lineposts,or at points where a clothes-line is to be supported, the objectbeing to draw the line taut and secure it at such points; and theinvention consists in the construction hereinafter described, and moreparticularly recited in the claims.

A represents the post or thing to which the device is to be secured. Thebracket is made in two parts, 13 C, each part constructed with an ear,D, by which it may be secured, as by a screw,a. The two parts of thebracket, near their outer ends, are constructed to form a seat orbearing for a spindle, E, and each of the parts is constructed with aprojecting finger, F, between which the spindle stands, the fingersprojecting in a plane parallel with the spindle.

In order to conveniently cast the bracket with the fingers it is made intwo parts, one finger upon each, and so that when applied and securedthe two parts may become substantially one, I construct the one part,B,with an opening, 12, and the other part, C,with a correspondingtongue, d. (See Fig. 4..) The tongue is inclined outward, or may be ofhook shape, so that, say, the one part being applied, the other part, C,may be introduced,as indicated in broken lines, Fig. 4,and the tongueengage in the mortise b ,like a hook,and so that when the two parts arebrought together, as seen in Fig. 4, and secured, the tongue and mortisesubstantially unite the two parts at their outer ends, and the two partsform a strong bracket.

The spindle E is constructed with a collar, f, to rest against the endof the bracket opposite the fingers, and the extreme end of the spindleat that side is provided with a suitable handle, G. At the opposite endthe spindle E is constructed with two prongs,sub stantially parallelwith each other, and with the axis of the spindle. The collarfis in suchrelation to the prongs H H that when the collar stands against the endof the bracket the prongs are outside of the fingers, as seen in Fig. 2,and so that in that condition the spindle may be rotated. The span ofthe two prongs is greater than the space between the two fingers F F.The outer ends of the fingers F incline outward, so as to form anexpanding Inouth,and so that when the spindle is turned to bring the twoprongs into a plane between the two fingers, then the spindle, by meansof the handle, may be drawn to bring the prongs between the fingers, asindicated in broken lines, Fig. 3.

The line is applied, as seen in Fig. 2, when the prongs areprojectedfrom the bracket; then by giving a rotation to the spindle theline is wound about the prongs, as indicated in Fig. 5, and when sowound the spindle is drawn inward to take the prongs and the linebetween the fingersFF,as indicated in broken lines, Figs. 3 and 5. Inthis position the prongs,being broader than the space between thefingers, prevent the return of the spindle under the reaction of theline; hence if the line be applied and drawn reasonably taut the spindlemay be turned to produce the required tension and then drawn inward tosecure the line, as before described, and which so completely securesthe line that no other fastening is necessary, even if that be the lastpoint of attaching the line. There being several posts or places towhich the line is to be attached, one of these devices may be applied toeach, and as in putting up the line each engagement is made with theprongs at that point, the slack is there taken up and the line secured,thus making each point'of securing independent of all the others, andall tying or inconvenient means of securing is obviated.

Preferably one of the prongs is extended to form a horn, I, overhangingthe other prong, H, and over which the line may be thrown as aconvenience in passing the line between the prongs; and preferably theother prong is also provided with a short horn, L, extending from itinto the direction away from the other prong, the said horn L serving toprevent the line from slipping from its engagement.

By this construction the device consists only of the three parts, towit, the bracket in two parts and the spindle forming the third part.These parts are of such shape and character as to be readily produced incast metal, so as to require no mechanical manipulation other than thatwhich may be given to it by the tumbling barrel. The device is thereforeof the cheapest possible character, yet not liable to get out of order.

I claim- 1. The combination of the bracket constructed with two fingers,F F, the spindle E, supported in the bracket between said fingers, thesaid spindle provided at one end with a handle, and constructed at theother end to form prongs H H, the said spindle free for longitudinalmovement to take said prongs from or bring them between said fingers,substantially as described.

2. The combination of the bracket constructed in two parts, B O, and tointerlock the one with the other,each part constructed with a finger, F,the said two fingers parallel to each other, the spindle E, supported inthe bracket between said fingers, said spindle provided at one end witha handle and constructed at the other end to form prongs H H, the saidspindle free for longitudinal movement to take said prongs from or bringthem between said fingers, substantially as described.

3. The combination of the bracket constructed with two fingers, F F, thespindle E, supported in the bracket between said fingers, the saidspindle provided at one end with a handle, and constructed at the otherend to form prongs H H, the said spindle free for longi- U tudinalmovement to take said prongs from or bring them between said fingers,one of said prongs constructed with a horn, I, turned to overhang theother prong, substantially as described."

4. The combination of thebracket construct ed with two fingers, F F, thespindle E, supported in the bracket between said fingers,the saidspindle provided at one end with a handle and constructed at the otherend to form prongs H H, the said spindle free for longitudinal movementto take said prongs from or bring them between said fingers,one of theprongs constructed with a horn, L, extending in a direction away fromtheopposite prong, substantially as described.

' ARTHUR H. SQUIRES.

Witnesses:

GEO. A. FENToN, J ACOB KEELING.

